Umbrella cover



Nov. 11, 1952 J. SHERMAN 2,617,437

UMBRELLA COVER Filed July so, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 FIG.|

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ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1952 J. SHERMAN 2,617,437

' UMBRELLA COVER Filed July 30, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FIG. l2

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Patented Nov. 11, 1952 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UMBRELLA COVER Jack Sherman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application July 30, 1949, Serial No. 107,650

7 Claims. (01. 13533) The object of the present invention is to provide an umbrella cover, which may be formed of a single sheet of plastic material, as for example, a vinyl compound, preferably transparent, and which may be readily attached to the umbrella frame without stitching.

For many years umbrella covers have been formed with central apertures through whichthe tip of the rod is passed, the cover resting upon a rib-receiving ring to which the ribs are pivoted. The outer ends of the rib have been customarily received in nipple-tips stiched to the material of the cover, and the cover also has been secured to the ribs by stitched loops of thread at oneor more areas intermediate the ends of the ribs. The specific object of the invention is to provide a cover which in its entirety may be molded of sheet plastic, and which will be free from any central aperture as heretofore, which will entirely eliminate the problem of securing waterseal at the rod tip, and which will be a greatly improved form as to assembly on the ribs and removal therefrom for replacement.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is atop plan view of an umbrella cover constructed in accordance with the invention, the view being reduced. 7 v

Fig. 2 is a vertical section and enlarged, taken on the line 22, Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33, Fig. 1. i

- Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form-above a usual type of rib-securing ring. r J

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 2 showing the end of an umbrella rib mounted in position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and constituting a modification'omitting the projected tip.

margin of the cover at its thickened area is formed with transverse apertures to receive at the outer area an ornamental nipple and to receive at its inner area the end of an umbrella rib, in each case; the shoulder of the rib abutting a metallic or other hard'washer element, the appurtenant units being shown in the figure.

Fig. 8 shows the use of the cover with rib tips which are threaded each to receive a threaded ornamental nipple.

Figs. 9 and 10 show mold insert elements, Fig. 9 being a side view of a suitable pre-formed ribreceiving nipple and Fig. 10 showing, in elevation, a rod-receiving ferrule.

. .140 Fig. 7 is a view of a modification wherein the- Fig. 11 is a fragmentary marginal vertical section of a cover taken intermediate rib-receivin areas and showing a suitable marginal reinforcement.

Fig. 12, is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown in Fig. 1 a plastic cover which may be made'in a single pressure-molding operation and which is ready for application to the frame of an umbrella. The thinner and major area of the cover is indicated at I. It is formed with a thickened and hence reinforced margin at 2, which margin at the tip-receiving areas is thickened below the primary wall I, and each of said depending thickened areas, indicated at 3, Fig. 2, is apertured, as at 4, to receive the reduced end of the normal umbrella rib. For ornamentation and to give the standard marginal appearance of an umbrella at the outer rib margin thereof, each thickened area 3 is formed with an integral projection 5 having the appearance of the usual rib-receiving nipple.

Integrally formed with the relatively thin major area of the cover is an outwardly projected ferrule 6, the wall thereof being thick and strong. At the base of the ferrule-there is formed a disk-likereinforcing area indicated 1, Fig. 1.

In the form of the cover shown in Fig. 1 the reinforcing disk-like area for the ferrule merges into a plurality of spur-like outwardly directed sections which preferably are gradually reduced in thickness toward the margin'of the cover. These spur reinforcements not only secure even distribution of stresses between the ferrule and the periphery of the cover, but they insure equal radial folds of the cover, because the cover material is so controlled when the umbrella is closed. as to effect said folding in radial lines directed fromthe ferrule to. spaced points each intermediate two of the nipples 5. The spur areas are indicated 8, Fig. 1.

In the modification of Fig. 4 an annular rib,

9 is formed on the upper surface of the reinforcing disk surface I which will be in register with the usual peripherally grooved rib-receiving ring of the umbrella, such a ring being shown at l0.v

In Fig. 5 a usual type of umbrella rib II. is

shown in'the structure of Fig. 2. In the appli-' cation of each rib, it may be flexed so as to shorten the distance between its inner-holding ring l0 and its tip. When thus it is moved into the receiving aperture 4 and released, it will straighten out and impose a stretching pressure upon the cover, as will be understood Without further explanation.

In Fig, 6 the ornamental tip 5 has been eliminated. However, by an additional slight modification, in that the aperture 4 extends entirely through the margin of the cover at each depending thickened area 3, this enables insert of preformed ornamental nipple l2. Also in the construction of either Fig. '7 or Fig. 6 a washer shown at l3, Fig. 7 maybe positioned in the marginal aperture, in each case, to directly receive the pressure of umbrella rib I I. As hereinafter more fully described members 12 and 13 may be employed as mold inserts during the moldingudf the cover so as to be integrally bonded in the cover structure by the molding operation.

In Fig. 8 the cover is formed as in the preced ing two figures. The modification lies in the provision of the reduced end of each rib with an exterior thread to receive the internally threaded ni'iil'JIe'IE. Fig. ll shows the 'ordinaryand usual form of the cover in'argin intermediate two of the ribreceiving areas, the marginal reinforcement being disposed wholly at the top of the 'cover. However, reinforcement may be distributed at both of the ov'er i'a ces as is indicated at 16, Fig. 12. 1

It has been described, with reference to Fig. 7

that re-formedeiements, such as tips and w'ashe ers, or as previously designated nipples and washers may be used as r'n'old inserts, so that in the molding-of the cover these elements are intimately bonded as integral parts of the cover. In some cases this may apply also to the ferrule, such a pre-for'med ferrule being shown in Fig. 10, as a hollow member with its interior wanin dicated at l1 With or without a pre-formed tipor nipple, for example that shown in Fig. 9, at 18, such a ferrule maybe placed in an axial cavity of the mold. at one face thereof, with the opposite face carrying a post of such size as to be spaced from the whole or a lower area of the interior wall of the ferrule, as a preferable'arrangement. {In this manner the plastic will be controlled to flow upwardly into the ferrule for bonding'it to thecover' structure as a whole. However, in: the'moldi'ng operation, the interior of the ferrule can be completely closed by a mold post and'the bonding efiected by inter-adhesion between the. plastic and the horizontal rim-area of theferrule, or by such action plus new of'the plastic over the rim at its upper face. Thus, the ferrule may be of the same plastic, a vinyl plastic compound, for example, andincompletely cured at the time the .ple=formed ferrule is inserted into the mold, so that it and the plastic, of the cover. parse, willjointly have progressed. polymeriza tio'n under the heat and pressure 'of the mold so as to become. virtually a single body. The: same conditions may applyv also-to the nipple; pre= formed as shown in Fig. 9, and the ornamental form may be varied as desired, with respect to bothelements- :By means offthe invention, thescos-t an'd'time Having. described my invention, what II. claim 1and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as folows:

l. A plastic umbrella cover consisting of a relative y thin flexible plastic sheet having a thickened area at its center integrally formed with an axial outwardly-projected relatively rigid plastic ferrule, the sheet being formed with a thickened peripheral margin and a plurality of rib-receiving elements integral with the thus reinforced margin, said elements having rib-receiving apertures.

2. A plastic umbrella cover constructed in accordance with claim 1 in which said thickened area at the center of the sheet is formed with the plurality of radially extending relatively thick rigid spurs formed integral with the relatively flexible sheet.

3. A plastic umbrella cover constructed in accordance with claim 1 in which said thickened area at the center of the sheet is formed with an annular projectingrib.

*4. A plastic umbrella cover constructed in ac cordance with claim -1 in which the rib-receiving elements are preformed and are integrally bonded to the peripheral margin of the sheet by flowportions of the plastic of which the sheet is composed.

5. A plastic umbrella cover constructed in accordance with claim 1 in which the rib-receiving elements at l the peripheral margin of 'the sheet are formed with open-end apertures there through,

6. A plastic umbrella cover consisting of a unitary relatively thin flexible plastic sheet having a thickened area at its center integrally formed with an axial outwardly-projected relatively rigid plastic ferrule, and formed at its peripheral marg'filwith a piuranty bf thickened and apertuid formed with threaded reduceden'ds each adapted t'e enter an aperture of the thickened peripheral margin of the cover and providing a shoulder for abutment with the said thickened area; and a threaded nipple adapted to be received by the threaded end of said rib, whereby the rib should'er'and the nipple 'co-ac't with said thickened area to provide positive holding means at each sideof said coverthicken'ed margin.

JACK SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The renewing references-are or record the file of this patent:

STATES l ATE'NTs Number 

